Brown Is Sworn In As U.S. Senator

Scott Brown is now Sen. Scott Brown, the first Republican to serve Massachusetts in more than 30 years.

He was escorted to the front of the Senate chamber by Sen. John Kerry and former interim Sen. Paul G. Kirk. Brown took the oath of office from Vice President Joe Biden.

The little-known former state senator rocked the nation with his upset victory last month over a favored Democrat. He took over the seat held by the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, who died in August 2009 of brain cancer after serving in office for 47 years.

Also in attendance Thursday were some members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation, including Democratic Reps. Jim Govern and Ed Markey.

Brown's wife, Gail Huff, watched from the upper gallery, but his daughters were not in attendance.

Following the formal swearing-in, Brown went to the old Senate chamber to re-enact the ceremony for pictures, because no photographs are allowed in the Senate chamber.

Brown's arrival ends the Democrats' Senate supermajority and gives the GOP 41 votes they can use to block President Obama's agenda.

Brown has promised to be an independent voice, telling Republican leaders recently they won't always be able to count on his vote.